Safety and Wellness System

The present disclosure claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 63/632,422, filed on Apr. 10, 2024, and entitled “SAFETY AND WELLNESS SYSTEM”, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for a safety and wellness platform for use in businesses and schools. In embodiments, the invention relates to a cloud-based system for gathering information and connecting individuals in real-time to provide safety and insure well-being.

When it comes to safety and well-being, businesses and schools are unprepared for the emergencies and chaos that comes from a lack of information collection and central connectivity. That is, the information exists and there is a certain amount of reporting that may take place when incidents occur. However, making information gathering easier, and in some cases anonymous, and placing it all in one central location is a critical first step to building a robust and easy-to-use health, safety, and wellness system. It seems many businesses and school systems are unaware of the information available, or how to collect and make sense of the information they have. Furthermore, the consequences of being unprepared can be devastating to a business, school, and community.

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for a safety and wellness platform for the centralized management of aspects of a businesses or school.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a cloud-based system includes an incident management system having a centralized dashboard for collecting, tracking, managing, and responding to events. The cloud-based system also includes an anonymous reporting system for providing individual users in the user community with a safe and private means for reporting concerning behavior. The cloud-based system further includes an emergency alter system including a mobile application with an emergency alert button for indicating there is an emergency. The cloud-based system also comprises a data collection system including customizable surveys to collect information from community users and a communication management system to keep community users informed. The cloud-based system includes a visitor management system including a guest registration system and a background check for ensuring a visitor is safe through screening and tracking.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for facilitating health, safety, and wellness of individuals in a user community includes the steps of: managing incidents using a centralized dashboard for collecting, tracking, managing, and responding to events; allowing anonymous reporting by providing individual users in the user community; providing emergency alter system including a digital emergency alert button for indicating there is an emergency; collecting data from community users by customizable surveys; managing communication to keep community users informed with important update information; and managing visitors to ensure all visitors are safe and monitored while at the community through screening and tracking.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a cloud-based system for facilitating health, safety, and wellness of individuals in a user community includes an incident management system having a centralized dashboard for collecting, tracking, managing, and responding to events, wherein the incident management system is configured to predict future incidents using artificial intelligence (AI), and wherein the AI is programed to determine a possible or likely next sequence of events based on collected incident events and personal data. The cloud-based system further includes a safety alert system including an anonymous reporting system for allowing users to anonymously report incidents and an emergency alter system for remotely indicating a user is experiencing an emergency. The cloud-based system also includes a safety operation center system for monitoring the community and communicating with law enforcement. The safety operation center system includes: a cyber-incident management system configured to monitor the use of community networks, cyber threats, and cyber bullying; and a ridership management system configured to monitor user usage of community vehicles to ensure that the user safely boards and de-boards from the vehicles.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative bases for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical application. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.

The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure or uses thereof. The systems and methods are described herein with respect to schools and student safety. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the systems and methods may also be applied to and used for any facility, collection of facilities, community, or organization where there is a need to maintain safety, confidentiality, trade secrets, etc. (e.g., facilities including businesses, universities, entertainment venues, hospitals, research facilities, etc.).

Businesses and schools often lack the necessary information collection and centralized communication network for effective an emergency response. While some reporting of incidents occurs, many of those monitoring the information are unaware of its availability or how to use the information, leading to potentially devastating consequences. Therefore, making information gathering easier and more centralized is crucial for a robust health, safety, and wellness system for businesses, schools, and other communities.

With regards to schools in the United States, between 2000 and 2022, 1512 people were killed or wounded by gunfire on school grounds, with 814 of these incidents occurring between 2017 and 2022. In addition, research shows that attackers tell others about their plans in four out of five school shootings and, in nine out of ten violent school incidents, the assailant had displayed objectively concerning or prohibited behaviors that were observed by others. Effectively collecting and analyzing reports and violent incidents can be used to prevent serious harm from occurring. Part of effectively collecting reports of potential attacks includes facilitating an easy method of reporting and establishing a trusted, confidential means by which a user can report their concerns. Certain studies have shown that users are more likely to report threatening behavior if such reporting is anonymous.

There is also a need to manage facilities, assets, and events and provide access to key programs, such as wellness and bus programs for students. With regards to wellness programs, school districts often lack the technical resources to securely manage student immunization requirements or provide students with proper health resources. School districts can also find it difficult to efficient manage all of their facilities, software licenses, repairs, and events, as well as to keep track of students using busing programs so as to ensure student safety. Accordingly, centralizing these important systems into a single platform can result in efficient management, communication, confidentiality, and can also significantly reduce costs to the school district.

is a block diagram that generally illustrates a systemwith a centralized platform for facilitating the health, safety, and wellness of individuals, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The systemmay include one or more databases, one or more application program interfaces (API), a web based front end, and/or a backend platform. The systemmay comprise various systems, such as computing systems, cloud based systems, Internet based systems, and/or other suitable systems. The databases associated with the systemmay store encrypted documents, non-encrypted documents, other suitable documents, and/or a combination thereof. Architecture associated with the systemis adapted and/or configured to meet all technology requirements of a centralized platform for managing the health, safety, and wellness of individuals in a school, business, community, or the like. The system may include electronic computing and communications system, or variations thereof, or the systemmay include, a distributed computing system (e.g., a client-server computing system), a cloud computing system, a clustered computing system, or the like.

Users of the systemmay include administrators, IT personnel, safety officers, counselors, psychologists, teachers, students, parents, or the like. The users may access and use the systemvia a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, or any other suitable computing device or combination of computing devices.

Referring to, the systemincludes a cloud-based platformcomprising various modules for facilitating the health, safety, and wellness of individuals, including: (1) Incident Management; (2) Anonymous Reporting; (3) Emergency Alerts; (4) Data Collection; (5) Communication Management; (6) Event Management; (7) Health and Wellness Management; and (8) Guest and Visitor Management. These modules can have overlapping features or functions to create built-in redundancies for increased security. The cloud-based platformand/or the modules are configured to connect or communicate via a network (e.g., via a communal or direct connection point, link, or path, all of which may be wired or wireless, or via other communications technologies, or a combination thereof). The network can include the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), or any other public or private means of electronic computer communication capable of transferring data between the modules, user devices, databases, or the like. The modules may include an operations management system, a communications system, a visitor management system, a safety operation center system, a safety alert system, a health and wellness system, an event management system, a tardy management system, a classroom observation management system, and a survey system. As discussed further below, the modules may act in conjunction with each other and may include overlapping functions for redundancy so as to increase safety, health, and wellness of all individuals.

In an embodiment, the operations management systemincludes an incident management system, a patrolling management system, and a facility and asset management system. As shown in, the incident management systemis configured to collect and track student incidents (e.g., bullying, fighting, cyber incidents, etc.). These incidents may be used to predict student behavior and allow staff to engage in proactive measures to prevent future incidents, including violent incidents. As illustrated generally in, the incident management systemmay be configured to predict future events or incidents using AI models, wherein the AI model determines a possible or likely next sequence of events based on the collected student incident events and personal data. The incident management systemmay further be configured to predict specific behavior, including suicide or self-harm, as well as behavior indicating other health conditions (e.g., eating disorders, behavioral disorders, etc.).

The incident management systemis further configured to monitor common school tasks (e.g., maintenance issues, software updates, etc.), incidents related to Title IX, and compliance reporting for state, federal, and/or other regulatory bodies. The incident management systemincludes centralized dashboardfor performing these functions (e.g., collecting, tracking, managing, and responding to events), which allows for reduced issue resolution time and helps ensure compliance through robust back-and-forth reporting. CASES™ is an example of a case management feature for the incident management system.

Referring to, the patrolling management systemis configured to track and manage staff patrols or inspections of sites and facilities such that assets are being properly protected. The facility and asset management systemis configured to manage and monitor all facilities and assets (e.g., equipment, etc.). For example, the facility and asset management systemallows for the centralized and efficient management of school spaces, space reservations, and IT assets (e.g., IT equipment and software licenses). As illustrated in, the facility and asset management systemincludes applications having user-interfaces for monitoring equipment and facilities, such as a dashboard for assisting IT dispatch service all facilities of the community. ACCESS™ is an example of the patrolling management systemand the facility and asset management system.

Referring to, the communications systemincludes a collection of devices, systems, processes configured to help students, staff, and parents to stay informed of important emergency and non-emergency updates. The communications systemincludes mass communication systems, emergency notifications, and broadcasting systemand configured for accessibilityvia a numerous means (e.g., mobile devices, smart devices, computing devices, or the like). Mass communication systemsincludes communication of events, incidents, status updates, or instructions to all or select persons within and outside of the school via direct messaging (SMS, email, etc.), voice, or the like. For example, mass communicationcan be used to inform parents of certain school events or health present concerns (e.g., contagious illness, contaminated food, etc.). Mass communication systemscan further be used to alert students, teachers, and other staff that an unauthorized intruder has entered the school's premise and to provide instructions for how to proceed safely. Emergency notificationscan be accomplished by mass communicationfeatures or other means and are used to alert persons (e.g., students, staff, parents, emergency responders, etc.) of an ongoing or predicted emergency. Emergencies can include dangerous weather, armed intruders, or the like. Broadcasting systemsincludes streaming audio or video information to a publically or privately accessible server, such as school programs, school events, camera feeds, or the like. For example, a slide show of important reminders or events for a particular month may be broadcast to a sever or platform whereby parents can quickly become informed.

In general, the communication systemupdates parents on school events, bus delays and status updates, parent teacher conferences, fundraising events, school updates, school closures, emergencies, or the like. Similarly, students may be informed of events, school closure, meetings, emergencies, etc. The communication systemmay also be used to keep school administrators and staff up to date on upcoming required tasks for upcoming meetings or events, routine or unexpected maintenance requests, emergencies, etc. Overall, the communication systemenables a school district to efficiently automate messaging tasks or mass communication to its community.

Referring to, in an embodiment, the visitor management systemincludes a collection of devices, systems, processes configured to ensure all guests (including volunteers) have been screened and vetted, and to allow a user to track all guest locations across multiple campuses (e.g., HOST™). The visitor management systemincludes perform guest registration, background check, and volunteer management. Guest registrationincludes check-in and check-out processes. For example, a visitor will check-in via a self-service interface (e.g., a kiosk having touch screen or other computing device) and receive a badge (e.g., a digital badge). The badge can be generated by the self-service interface (e.g., the self-service interface can print a label that the visitor attaches to their person) or provided by a staff member at the check-in site. The badge may allow the guest to access the facilities (e.g., door keycard readers, etc.) and can include detailed information for allowing other staff members to visually gather key information about the guest and determine if the guest authorized to be in certain locations or with students.

To check-in, the visitor will complete a series of questions to determine their intentions, background information, and relation to the school. For example, as shown in, the visitor must indicate their role, provide their contact information, provide their name, and indicate where they would like to go within the school's premises. A school district can customize the screening questionnaire depending upon their needs, time of visitation, intended location, relation, etc. In some embodiments, the guest registrationincludes a pre-registration process where the visitor may complete the required check-in information in advance.

After the pre-registration and/or the check-in processes, the background checkon the visitor is performed. The background checkcan include searching databases such as the national criminal databases like the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), state criminal databases, and the Interstate Identification Index (III), or the like. The visitor is not provided a badge unless they pass the necessary criteria on the background check. Similarly, volunteer managementincludes processes like guest registrationand background checksto ensure volunteers are safe to be around the student and to monitor where the volunteers should be located on the school's premises.

Accordingly, the visitor management systemreduces risk by determining if a guest should be allowed onto the premise, deterring the guest from illegal or unwanted behavior as a result of their collected personal information, and allowing for easier management of volunteers that may not commonly visit school grounds. Moreover, the visitor management systemenables users of the systemto gain situational awareness regarding guests as a result of centralized reporting and emergency management.

Referring to, in an embodiment, the safety operation center systemincludes a collection of devices, systems, processes configured to provide a situation awareness systemincluding generation of heat maps identifying areas currently or historically experiencing un-safe conditions, and a sensor systemincluding camera feeds of the interior and exterior of a building, weapon detection sensors (e.g., metal detectors for detecting guns, knives, etc.), and hazard sensors (e.g., smoke alarms, etc.). The safety operation center systemmay further include an emergency operation center, a cyber-incident management system, a ridership management system, and weather monitoring system.

The emergency operation centermay have access to all other modules so as to have access to all necessary information and communication systems. For example, personnel in the emergency operation centercan receive the situation awareness system, the sensor system, guest registration, background check, and the incident management systemsuch that the personnel can then determine whether to issue alerts via mass communicationor emergency notifications(e.g., that a dangerous person or situation is occurring on campus), provide instructions to the patrolling management system(e.g., to check a specific location that has not be routinely monitored or to more actively search for certain activities or individuals), and/or provide instructions to the facility and asset management system(e.g., to section off a dangerous area that needs repair).

The cyber-incident management systemis configured to monitor use of school networks, cyber threats, cyber bullying, and the like. The ridership management systemis configured to monitor student usage of school or public vehicles (e.g., buses, or other transportation means) to ensure that students safely board and de-board from the vehicles. For example, the ridership management systemmay include a system for registering when a student has boarded and de-boarded the vehicle, such as scanning a badge or input from an operator of the vehicle who is actively tracking students expected to use the provided transportation. The weather monitoring systemis configured to monitor weather and to provide alerts if certain weathers conditions are expected to occur that would result in unsafe conditions for students (e.g., icy roads causing hazardous conditions for the vehicles of the ridership management system, heavy rain or wind that would prevent outdoor events from being hosted, or extreme weather (hot, cold, humid, UV index, etc.) that would present a health concern for students athletes, etc.). The weather monitoring systemcan receive weather reports from local sources outside of the school district and can be set to issues the alerts based upon a set criteria. In some embodiments, the weather monitoring systemissues alerts via the mass communication systems, emergency notifications, or the broadcasting system.

In some embodiments, the safety operation center systemcommunicates with law enforcement (e.g., state, federal, or private) and to quickly and efficiently inform law enforcement of an ongoing situation (e.g., an emergency or increase in illegal activity on or near school grounds, etc.). The safety operation center systemmay further provide access to some or all of the modules and features of the system, like the situation awareness system, sensor system, the incident management system, or the like, such that law enforcement officers can act in the best way to resolve a threat.

Referring to, in an embodiment, the safety alert systemincludes a collection of devices, systems, processes configured to allow individuals (e.g., students, teachers, administrators, parents, etc.) to report suspicious activity, threatening events, or other emergencies (e.g., medical emergencies). The safety alert systemincludes a reporting systemconfigured to allow individuals to anonymously report suspicious or dangerous behavior (e.g., ESCALATE™). The reporting systemincludes an application, text-based system, and/or web-based system for providing convent and ease-to-use means of reporting. As illustrated in, the individual can use the applicationon their mobile device or personal computer to report an incident or dangerous behavior. The individual is prompted to select an incident from a pre-selected list and is then further prompted to provide additional details (including their contact information should they so choose). The text-based system and web-based system may be used in a similar manner. By facilitating convenient and anonymous reporting, the district can stay aware of student issues that likely would not otherwise get reported and proactively prevent emergencies before they occur. In some embodiments, reporting systemcommunicates with the incident management systemand sends information regarding student incidents.

As illustrated in, The safety alert systemfurther includes an emergency alert system, wherein an individual can anonymously use an application to issue an emergency alert by pressing and holding a “panic” button(e.g., NOTIFY™). To emergency alerts are not accidently triggered, the individual may be required to press another buttonbefore being presented with the panic button, which must be held for a set amount of time (e.g., three seconds) before the emergency alert is reported. In some embodiments, an “all clear” button, or the like, may also be included to update the status of the emergency. The emergency alert systemis configured to receive and/or determine a relative location of the individual at the time the emergency alert is triggered so that responders of the safety operation center system, law enforcement, or other persons (e.g., administrators, teachers, etc.) are aware of where the emergency is occurring despite being anonymously reported. In addition, the individual can leave a message outlining details of the emergency. The individual is also promoted to call(i.e., local law enforcement or emergency services) for imminent life threatening emergency situations.

Consequently, the emergency alert systemprovides a two-way communication method of reporting an emergency and helps ensure the safety of all community members (e.g., all students and staff members) by enabling them to call for help during times of an extreme emergency. Furthermore, the safety alert systemprovides an alternative method for the district to promptly and efficiently react to emergencies, in addition to the functions of the safety operation center system.

As discussed above, the operations management system, the communications system, the visitor management system, the safety operation center system, and the safety alert systemact collectively to ensure the safety and well-being of all community members. Any overlapping functions of these modules adds redundancy to the systemso as to ensure that critical information is not lost, ignored, or mishandled.

As illustrated in, the health and wellness systemincludes a collection of staff, devices, systems, processes configured to securely manage student health and wellbeing including mental health screenings and records management (e.g., vaccination records), in compliance with HIPAA requirements (e.g., WELLNES™). For example, immunization records can be digitalized for compliance and security, and the use a centralized dashboard allows for easy tracking, robust reporting, reminders, and workflow efficiencies across multiple sites. The health and wellness systemincludes intuitive and capable software that is hierarchy aware, multi-lingual, API-enabled and features single sign on. The health and wellness systemalso includes telehealth servicesfor providing increased access to health services for community members (TELEHEALTH™). In an embodiment, the health and wellness systemincludes a predictive AI model for determining the physical and mental health of students.

As illustrated in, the event management systemallows for a single comprehensive means of planning and managing meetings, conferences and live events (e.g., OWLPASS™). The event management systemis configured to utilize digital credentials to manage clearance into events using a QR code, collect pre-screening information for digital badging, and create custom forms and notifications for attendees. The event management systemis configured to individually, or in conjunction with the visitor management system, to collect pre-screening information for the issuance of digital badges to guests of the event. In this way, the event management systemis also operable to perform diagnostic testing on the guests and event conditions to increase safety of attendees. The event management systemmay include an emergency alert button for critical situations that can be triggered by staff in the event of an emergency, wherein local emergency services will be immediately contacted and notified of the emergency. The event management systemincludes the issuance and management of tickets.

Referring to, in an embodiment, the tardy management systemis configured to monitor the attendance of students and to determine if a student is on school grounds so that they may be accounted for in the event of an emergency. Referring to, in an embodiment, the classroom observation management systemis configured to collect and monitor all data points involving instructional practices of teachers, the scholastic performance of a school, etc. For example, the classroom observation management systemincludes rubrics for conducting walkthroughs and is configured to generate a report and determine appropriate feedback based on data points collected from the walkthrough.

In addition to the modules discussed above, data collection can also be accomplished by the survey system. In an embodiment, the survey systemincludes customizable surveys, wherein the information received from the surveys is communicated to the other modules. For example, the survey systemincludes surveys for mental health and well-being checks, collecting student and teacher feedback, and threat assessment.

Referring to, in and embodiment a methodcan be performed by the above systemand cloud-based platform. The methodincludes managing an event or access to a facility via the event management system, wherein tickets are issued for entry into the event, at step. Atchecking-in of visitors includes the visitor management system, wherein the visitors check-in via the self-service kiosk. At, if the visitor has a ticket and is cleared by the visitor management system, the visitor receives a digital badge. At, if the visitor enters the facility without a ticket or without being cleared by the visitor management system, the communication systeminforms students and staff of the unauthorized visitor via the mass communication systems, emergency notifications, and/or the broadcasting system. Atthe students and staff are evacuated from the facility according to a predetermined evacuation plan and the location of the unauthorized visitor or are instructed to perform another action (e.g., run, hide, or fight). The communication systemand/or the safety operation center systemnotifies law enforcement of the emergency. At, after the emergency has concluded, students and staff are provided with access to the health and wellness systemfor managing student and staff health and wellbeing after a potentially traumatic event. At, the safety operation center systemmonitors the facility, authorized visitors, and unauthorized visitors. At, an authorized visitor checks-out by scanning their digital badge at the self-service kiosk.

The systems and methods described herein may be configured to provide centralized management, data collection, and emergency response for a school, business, or the like.

Clause 1. A cloud-based system for facilitating health, safety, and wellness of individuals in a user community. The system may include an incident management system having a centralized dashboard for collecting, tracking, managing, and responding to events; an anonymous reporting system for providing individual users in the user community with a safe and private means for reporting concerning behavior; an emergency alert system including a mobile application with an emergency alert button for indicating there is an emergency; a data collection system including customizable surveys to collect information from community users; a communication management system to keep community users informed; and a visitor management system including a guest registration system and a background check for ensuring a visitor is safe through screening and tracking.

Clause 2. The cloud-based system as clause 1 describes where the community is one of either a school, a business, a facility, a venue, or a campus.

Clause 3. The cloud-based system as either of clauses 1 or 2 describe where the incident management system is configured to predict future incidents using artificial intelligence (AI), where the AI is programmed to determine a possible or likely next sequence of events based on collected incident events and personal data.

Clause 4. The cloud-based system as any of clauses 1-3 describe further may include a patrolling management system configured to track and manage patrols or inspections of sites and facilities to ensure community assets are protected, and a facility and asset management system configured to manage and monitor facilities and assets.

Clause 5. The cloud-based system as any of clauses 1-4 describe where the communication management system includes a mass communication system configured to communicate events, incidents, status updates, or instructions to selected persons within and outside of a school via direct messaging, voice communication, or similar means; where the mass communication system is operable to inform parents of school events or health concerns and to alert students, teachers, and staff of unauthorized intruders; an emergency notification system configured to alert persons of ongoing or predicted emergencies, where the emergency notification system utilizes features of the mass communication system or other communication means to notify students, staff, parents, and emergency responders of emergencies including dangerous weather or armed intruders; and a broadcasting system configured to stream audio or video information to a publicly or privately accessible server, where the broadcasting system is operable to broadcast school programs, events, and camera feeds and to display important reminders or events to parents.

Clause 6. The cloud-based system as any of clauses 1-5 describe where the communication management system is configured to update users about school events, bus delays, school closures, and emergencies.

Clause 7. The cloud-based system as any of clauses 1-6 describe where the guest registration system includes a self-service interface for the visitor to provide their relation to or role within the community, contact information, and intended location, and where the self-service interface is configured to provide the visitor with a badge for accessing the facilities.

Clause 8. The cloud-based system as any of clauses 1-7 describe further may include a safety operation center system for monitoring the community and communicating with law enforcement, the safety operation center system including a sensor system having cameras and weapon detectors, and a cyber-incident management system configured to monitor the use of community networks, cyber threats, and cyberbullying.

Clause 9. The cloud-based system as any of clauses 1-8 describe where the safety operation center system includes a ridership management system configured to monitor user usage of community vehicles to ensure that a user safely boards and de-boards from the vehicles, and a situation awareness system configured to generate heat maps identifying areas currently or historically experiencing unsafe conditions.

Clause 10. A method for facilitating health, safety, and wellness of individuals in a user community. The method may include the steps of managing incidents using a centralized dashboard for collecting, tracking, managing, and responding to events; allowing anonymous reporting by providing individual users in the user community; providing an emergency alert system including a digital emergency alert button for indicating there is an emergency; collecting data from community users by customizable surveys; managing communication to keep community users informed with important update information; and managing visitors to ensure all visitors are safe and monitored while at the community through screening and tracking.

Clause 11. The method as clause 10 describes where the community is one of either a school, a business, a facility, a venue, or a campus.

Clause 12. The method as either of clauses 10 or 11 describe where managing incidents includes predicting future incidents using artificial intelligence (AI), where the AI is programmed to determine a possible or likely next sequence of events based on collected incident events and personal data.